The jury in the sexual offences trial of British comedian and actor Russell Brand has begun considering its verdict at Southwark Crown Court in London. Brand faces seven charges involving six women over alleged incidents between 1999 and 2009. He has denied all the allegations and pleaded not guilty. Reports by Reuters, the Associated Press and British media outlets say the jury was sent to deliberate on November 3, following several weeks of evidence and closing arguments from both sides. The 12-member jury, comprising eight men and four women, was instructed to reach a unanimous decision on each of the seven charges. Judge Joel Bennathan completed his summing-up of the case before sending the jurors out to consider the evidence. However, they deliberated for only about an hour on Tuesday before being sent home for the night. They were scheduled to return to court on Wednesday morning to continue their discussions.The allegations relate to incidents said to have taken place at different locations, including a hotel room, the London offices of MTV, a recording studio, a radio station, a Soho bar and Brand’s home. The six women, who have said they did not know one another, came forward to police following a 2023 Channel 4 documentary and newspaper investigations that reported separate allegations of sexual misconduct against the comedian. Those other allegations are not part of the present trial.During the trial, prosecutors argued that Brand used his growing celebrity and influence to exploit women. Lead prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones told the court that the accounts of the six complainants showed similarities and that their decision to approach the police followed the public attention generated by the documentary. The prosecution also urged jurors to consider the alleged incidents individually while assessing the evidence presented by each woman.Brand’s defence team challenged the allegations, arguing that the 2023 documentary and subsequent media coverage had influenced the complainants’ recollections of their encounters with him. His lawyer, Ian Winter, also questioned why the women had approached the police years after the alleged incidents. The defence maintained that Brand’s behaviour and sexual history should not be confused with the question of whether any criminal offence had taken place.Brand took the witness stand last week and acknowledged that he had been highly promiscuous during his younger years. However, he maintained that his sexual encounters had always been consensual and rejected the accusations made against him. He has remained free on bail throughout the proceedings and has regularly attended court alongside his wife, Laura Gallacher.The case marks a significant legal development for the comedian, who was once a prominent figure in British television and went on to appear in several Hollywood films. For now, the jury’s task is to assess the evidence and decide whether the prosecution has proved the charges. No verdict had been reached when the jurors adjourned on Tuesday, leaving the proceedings to continue into Wednesday.